


The Time Traveling Trial

by sunrisesnowcat



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Homeworld (Steven Universe), Shapeshifting, Steven Universe AU, Steven goes back in time to help out his former self?, Unexplained Time Travel, idk man, steven universe- the trial, trial
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:47:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28179345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunrisesnowcat/pseuds/sunrisesnowcat
Summary: Steven finds himself in an oddly familiar situation.
Comments: 7
Kudos: 30





	The Time Traveling Trial

_Where am I?_ Steven wondered. He was bathed in a blinding white light. The room was familiar somehow, but he couldn’t quite place it until a door opened and President Zircon walked in.

“This is ridiculous! 4,000 years of loyal service to the court, and this is what I get? Oh, I'm the unluckiest Zircon in the galaxy!” President Zircon said. Suddenly, Steven realized where- and when he was. Thankfully his former self hadn’t spotted him yet, and he’d been practicing shapeshifting. He shapeshifted into a Zircon, for once, grateful that his gem had angles he could rotate into a rectangle. He was that horrendous shade of pink, but at least this time it was because he wanted to be.

Even if he didn’t want to mess with the timeline, he could at least give himself a proper defense.

Presiden- er, Blue Zircon made her way to Ste- Ro- The accused. Steven couldn’t bear to call himself his mom’s name, even if he was begging for it. And calling him Steven would blow any semblance of cover he had. Blue Zircon looked at the accused in shock. “Are _you_ Rose Quartz?”

“Yeah,” said the accused. _Liar_ Pink Zircon thought.

He strode towards Blue Zircon and nodded. “I’m Pink Zircon, I’ve been assigned to help out so that no rebels can say the accused wasn’t given a fair defense.” He hoped that was believable enough.

Blue Zircon seemed to buy it. “Oh good, I need all the help I can get,” said Zircon.

“Defense?” asked the accused.

Pink Zircon nodded. “You are going to stand on trial before Yellow and Blue- Diamond,” Steven had almost left off the “Diamond.” He wasn’t sure if that was a shatterable offence, but he wouldn’t be surprised. “Blue Zircon and I will defend you, and hopefully get you declared ‘innocent.’”

“Are you kidding?” exclaimed Blue Zircon. “Have you _seen_ these files? We have no chance! She’s going to be declared guilty!”

“I am!” demanded the accused.

Pink Zircon gently knelt down. “You don’t know that, do you? Please, just, stay quiet and let us defend you.”

The accused looked surprised “You really think you can win this?”

Pink Zircon smiled and nodded, while Blue Zircon looked doubtful. Before they got a chance to discuss further, the door opened and it was time.

When they got to the courtroom, a yellow Zircon appeared. She seemed overconfident and ready, just as Steven remembered. This time, however, he knew what she was going to say before she said it. He was planning out ways to point out the many flaws in her case that Zircon had been too scared to. It wasn’t her fault, of course. Steven was probably the only gem confident he could fistfight the Diamonds and win. Their range of powers was impressive, but they didn’t have control of the full range as Steven did.

“Defending a traitor?” Yellow Zircon asked. Isn’t that _treason?”_

“I was assig-“ Blue Zircon began, before Pink Zircon cut her off.

“We don’t know she was a traitor,” Pink Zircon said. “Not until this trial is over.”

“Cocky, hmm?” Yellow Zircon said.

“No,” said Pink Zircon “I’m confident, you’re cocky.”

Blue and Yellow Pearl warped in. “All rise for the luminous Yellow Diamond!” Yellow Pearl said. “and the lustrous Blue Diamond,” added Blue Pearl.

A light beams in behind the Pearls, and Yellow and Blue Diamond warp in, with Blue Diamond resting on Yellow Diamond's shoulders. They both gaze down towards Steven, as all three Zircons make the Diamond salute.

“Where is the accused?” Blue asked.

Yellow Diamond looked down at Steven. “Is _that_ Rose Quartz?” Yellow asked. “look at that hideous form she’s taken. We should shatter her just for looking like that.

“No,” said Blue. “I want to hear her make her case. I want to know what she thinks we're going to do with her. Because I want to do something worse.”

Steven felt the pink rising in his cheeks. He hoped that the fact he was already pink would make it less noticeable, but still, they could notice his glow, or, stars forbid, if things got bad enough, his diamond eyes. He had almost forgotten how terrifying they used to be. Some of his confidence waned. But he saw how even though the accused recoiled in fear, he seemed a little more hopeful than Steven remembered being. This was helping. And it wasn’t really harmful selflessness if he was helping himself, right?

“Fine,” said Yellow.

Blue and Yellow sit on thrones that appear behind them.

“Let's just get on with it, shall we?” Yellow asked.

“My Diamond. My brilliant, opulent, radiant, glimmering-“ Yellow Zircon started.

"’My Diamond’ will suffice, or we'll never get through this,” Yellow Diamond said sharply.

“Of course, My Diamond,” said Yellow Zircon. She cleared her throat. “Rose Quartz committed a crime-“

“Objection, My Diamonds,” said Pink Zircon. “Rose Quartz was _accused_ of a crime.”

“Really?” said Yellow Diamond, “Are you _trying_ to lose my patience.”

“No, of course not, My Diamond,” Pink Zircon said, though the words stung on his tongue. “I am simply trying to complete my assignment to the best of my ability.”

Blue sighed. “Objection sustained. Zircon, let us make this a proper trial, and let us decide if she’s guilty.” She glared at the accused in a way that showed she’d already decided.

Blue Zircon glared at Pink Zircon. He was supposed to help her, but instead he was just making them lose favor with the Diamonds by picking meaningless fights.

Yellow Zircon sighed. “Fine. Rose Quartz was _accused_ of a crime so unprecedented that one can't help but wonder ‘why’? Exhibit A.”

Lars was warped into the room. Steven had been so caught up in how terrible being closely questioned by the diamonds that he completely forgot about this part. His heart dropped. He _couldn’t_ stand by and let Zircon bubble his head again. _Damnit_.

“Lars!” the accused called.

“Steven, what’s going on here? Where are we?-“ Lars was cut off by Zircon bubbling his head.

Steven was _not_ about to let this happen again. He didn’t want to hear Zircon’s rant about how useless humanity is. _I’m sorry, Steven,_ he thought _we’re gonna have to do this another way_. “Stop!” He called. “Don’t do that.”

“What,” laughed Yellow Zircon, “do you actually care about these creatures?”

“Yes,” said Steven.

“Are you a rebel as well?” asked Yellow Diamond. “I should’ve known.” Without waiting for an answer, she reached out her hand to destabilize him.

Steven had been through this song and dance enough times to shield. Yellow couldn’t actually destabilize him, but it was still an uncomfortable feeling.

“Rose’s shield?” Blue asked quizzically, “but I thought _she_ was Rose Quartz.”

“Neither of us are,” Steven answered. “I hope you’re okay with me leaving, but honestly, I’m doing it whether you want me to or not.”

“What could _possibly_ give you the right to speak to me like this?” Blue asked incredulously.

 _You know what? Screw the timeline._ Steven shrugged. “What gives you the right to speak to me like that?” He quickly scooped up Lars and Steven and launched, much in the same way when he used Blue’s palanquin, but only using his manipulation of gravity. He shapeshifted back to his true form, though he was quickly chased by a fleet of robonoids. He made a wall behind him and launched off his shield to keep his momentum.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know, my hand is burned. I have no clue if this is a oneshot or a series. It was just a concept I had in my brain that I wanted to get out.


End file.
